101 animals placed in foster care after Russian strike on Chernihiv shelter
A Russian attack on a veterinary centre in Chernihiv killed one dog, injured three women and four animals, and damaged facilities used to care for stray cats and dogs.
By Thiago Cruz ·
People took 101 animals into temporary foster care after a Russian strike damaged the Krok do Tvaryn veterinary and sterilisation centre in Chernihiv on 28 October. One dog was killed in the attack on the facility, which provides temporary shelter for stray cats and dogs and carries out spaying and neutering.
Chernihiv City Council and the animal welfare organisation UAnimals reported the attack. Three women, aged 59, 40 and 18, were injured, along with three cats and one dog. The centre, whose name translates as Step Towards Animals, reported damage to several parts of its premises.
All three women were taken to the regional hospital, according to Ihor Danylenko, general director of the Chernihiv Oblast Centre for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine. Speaking to the regional media outlet Suspilne Chernihiv, he said they had sustained blast injuries and shrapnel wounds of varying severity.
By the evening of 28 October, glass and debris had been cleared from the site, the centre said. Shattered windows had also been covered with plywood. Repairs are still needed to the damaged cat houses, operating theatre and administrative rooms.
While 101 animals were taken in by people offering temporary care, severely ill and elderly animals remained at the centre. Krok do Tvaryn said people willing to foster those animals would be welcome to take them in a few days. The placements already arranged provided temporary homes for animals following the damage to the shelter.
The centre also told those who had taken animals home that it would remain available if a placement proved difficult. It expressed gratitude for the response while asking foster carers to stay in contact and continue treating the animals responsibly. Its message acknowledged that an emotional response can sometimes lead people to take on more than they can manage.
“We are in touch and ready to take the animals back if things don't work out with someone!” the centre said. Krok do Tvaryn has opened a fundraiser to help restore its damaged premises.
The attack followed a Russian strike earlier in October on Sadyba Niushanik, a bird sanctuary in Kyiv Oblast. Around 190 birds were killed there. The sanctuary cares for many birds and rescues dozens of orphaned storks each year.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
